Kerai
by Kaen
Summary: An explanation of Larva as a character. This fic will eventually include all of Larva's past, tying in greatly with the New Vampire Miyu manga series. Read it if you're tired of the same old VPM fic plot!
1. Nothing Can be Wrong Now

Kerai  
  
Prologue: Nothing Can Be Wrong Now  
  
By Kaen  
  
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Wow! My first Vampire Princess Miyu fic! I know that none of you are familiar with me, or my writing style for that matter, so I hope that you'll please stay with me through at least the prologue. Just as a bit of an introduction, I do not incorporate original characters into my stories unless they are insignificant to the overall plot or unless it is clearly stated (which hasn't happened yet). Lately, however, I've experienced a revival in my love for VPM, went back to the fanfiction realm for it, and was startled to find such a lack in angsty or romantic stories, hence my latest attempt at storytelling. Enjoy!  
  
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'Sometimes, I wonder what this place is? I know it is her realm, but what is it? It is heaven or hell? No, I know exactly what it is. It is simply a place for forgotten souls where they may follow the illusion of living in a perfect world. They are ignorant, they are in bliss. Have I ever known bliss? No, not for a long time. I have accepted my fate as her servant- no, her slave- and happiness is trivial to those who have been enslaved for eternity. I care about her, but with every new enemy that curses me for my betrayal, I feel more and more pitiful. But. she needs me, and our bond of blood is unbreakable, even by me. She is my master, free to cling to me after she has been defeated and her handsome boy has been torn from her grasp. She says that she loves me, but how could I ever believe that? Am I not the only one that she has? And how could she expect me to love her as anything more than a child? I am the guardian's guardian, the one who watches in the dark of night by her side, and I cannot object, for this is my fate; the punishment for my failure.'  
  
"And then I saw. Larva? Are you paying attention to me, Larva?"  
  
His eyes snapped into focus abruptly, widening in surprise as he realized the Miyu's pet shinma, Shiina, was hovering just in front of his face. He looked at her blankly, but not really needing to make an effort to hide expression. It was already sealed under his mask, the thing that identified him as Miyu's.  
  
"Yes, Shiina, I am listening," he lied, keeping his voice low and unwavering.  
  
"Good! Well..." she rambled on, unaware of the hateful glare that Larva's features had formed underneath his mask.  
  
'Silence, Shiina. I have no interest in what you speak of. Why do you not just let me be alone? I'm so suddenly tired and it's so painful. But she hadn't noticed, so it's not worth bringing up, right? It's hurts me, it dampers my ability to protect her, but I'm fine. I don't need her sympathy, and what could she do for me anyway? Miyu can't give me what I need, and I'm not allowed to take it. Is this what it means to be her servant? To sacrifice your own needs in order to not displease her? It is my duty to do so, it is my duty to care only for her.'  
  
He sighed, the sound being hampered by his mask once again and being completely lost in the endless chatter of Shiina. He had often thought such thoughts about his current predicament, but never before had he been this irritable or serious with his muses. Underneath his cloak, his right hand wrenched tightly around his left arm, futilely trying to stop the blood flow that had suddenly come on.* He winced, gritting his teeth together to suppress any cry of pain as one of his sharp, long nails accidentally grazed his skin and met yet another incision. Itai.  
  
"I'm back, Chisato-chan. Did you have a nice day?" he heard Miyu's seemingly casual inquiry echo in his mind through their strong mental bond. Miyu had come back from her school, although why she kept attending it was lost to him. Every day since the betrayal of her best friend, she had returned to the bleakness that was her home and would cradle the sphere in which held the image of her friend's face, "conversing" with it about one thing or another. But Chisato's eyes remained deftly shut and lost in the eternal peace that Miyu had been forced to bestow on her, as she would stay for all eternity. Larva was growing concerned that Miyu would never overcome this frightful habit; however, he found it to not be his place to interfere. 'Maybe if I could comfort her or get her mind off of the incident.?' Larva pondered to himself. 'Maybe if I could distract her for long enough to at least help me? Miyu. Please.'  
  
His ice blue eyes reflecting his resolve,* Larva vanished from the company of Shiina and traced the path of Miyu's emotions back to their source. It didn't take him long to find her through the link hat he and Miyu shared. Soon, he found himself standing on a tall branch of the back, fruitless tree by her side.  
  
"Larva is here now, Chisato," Miyu informed the ball that was currently emitting a somewhat crimson glow. She angled it so that Larva could have seen Chisato's "slumbering" face if he so desired, but he kept his eyes unseeingly straight ahead of him. "Hm. How funny. Larva doesn't seem interested in talking to-"  
  
"Miyu," he said abruptly, cutting off whatever she was about to say. He sank down lower onto the branch, until he was kneeling next to Miyu, who was staring at him curiously. He faltered for a second, as if debating whether ha was about to do was the best course of action, but shrugging off his doubts, Larva removed his mask and looked squarely at Miyu. "I'm concerned about your well-being. I think it would better is you just left Chisato to sleep in peace."  
  
"Larva! How could you say such a thing?!" she scolded him for the first time that he ever could recall. Her eyes narrowed, flashing gold for a split second, and it appeared as if she had been dangerously offended by his suggestion. "Apologize right now!"  
  
Larva's eyes were wide in disbelief. Could she really be upset with him for just requesting something so ostensibly simple from her? In the time of his silence, Miyu's anger had flourished to an intolerably high level and it drove the guardian to do something that neither she nor her servant could have ever imagined her doing: she raised her right hand and in one smooth movement had struck her only eternal friend across the side of his pale- skinned face. Miyu glared at him from her turned position on the branch, one arm still cradling the sphere, as a foreign sound echoed through the realm. Taken aback but her aberrant action, he gasped and felt his elegant fingers loosen around the mask that he held. It slipped away from him, fell, and struck the hard ground, filling the stiff silence with the piercing clank that resulted in the inflexible mask hitting the ground. His eyes remained wide and frozen in shock as that gloved hand emerged from his robes to sooth the reddening blemish on his face. Several seconds of silence passed, but Miyu remained distractedly, if not defiantly silent, as she hugged the glowing orb closer to her.  
  
"You may leave now," she informed him plainly, sounding as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Larva exhaled raggedly.  
  
"I'm sorry," he whispered timidly, pushing himself off the thin branch and vanishing out of Miyu's view; she watched him do so out of the corner of her eye. When he was completely gone and she could no longer feel his presence, she turned her attention back to what was left of her once close friend.  
  
"Can you believe his insolence, Chisato? How rude!" she fumed angrily, although to anyone unfamiliar with Miyu, these words may have sounded more like a slight complaint of irritation. "I'm sorry that you had to witness that."  
  
But as Miyu reached down to steady herself and her left hand came to rest upon where Larva had been just seconds ago, a warm substance coated her palm and underside of her fingers. She lifted her hand curiously in order to study the liquid that coated her hand, then tasted it in order to confirm her first notion. Her brow creased in mild apprehension, her eyes tracing the course of the blood from the branch to the steady stream that dripped from it, splattering upon the smooth surface of her companion's mask far below. She turned quickly to the place where her servant had been prior to her find and the hold around the sphere in her arms was unconsciously loosened.  
  
And her lips silently formed the name "Larva" as if it were an unknown word.  
  
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*As far as I could tell, in the last episode, Larva was stuck in a battle against the Shinma Shidon and was forced to us some of Miyu's powers after suffering his "first loss." His first loss basically consisted of him loosing his left hand, or at least the glove. But since we need a motivation for this story, I'm going to say that he lost his hand because it was what I fumed about the most at the end of the series. As horrible as it is, I really didn't care about Miyu's friends dying; Larva got hurt, and that was all that was important.  
  
*And if I weren't messing with your mind enough yet, yes, I do need Larva's eyes to been a chilling blue for this story's beginning. This is the color that they are in the original manga, and I really need to go off that fact to express some major ideas that will appear later in the story. Sorry if it doesn't make sense yet!  
  
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Hm. The prologue was a lot shorter than I had hoped it would have been. I usually post eight-page chapters, or about 3,000 words, but it was actually essential for the prologue to end where it did. I'm sorry if it's disappointing for you as well. I really am enjoying writing this fic, though, so I'll probably continue with good or, hopefully not, bad reviews. This is my first VPM fic, though, so please be gentle if you would please chose to review it. This is simply my take on the series, characters, and specifically Larva. Thank you for reading and please, please review and let me know what you think!  
  
-Kaen ^^  
  
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	2. Just Living

Kerai  
  
Chapter 1: Just Living.  
  
By Kaen  
  
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That was rough start. I was hoping that I'd have a more positive response to the fic, but I guess it's a bit much to ask for a one thousand-word prologue. Oh well! Nijuusei, my most popular ongoing story, was encouraged by one lone review for the first chapter, so I'll keep trying! The chapters will now be a lot longer from here on out; I sincerely apologize for such a short prologue! Please stick with me!  
  
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"To the darkness, stray Shinma!"  
  
The blazing flame left from her hand, surrounding the slumping figure that was barely supporting itself. What could have been called the blood of the demon was swept away instantaneously from the Shinma's hunched body by the column of fire. Bits of ash and kindle floated lazily on hot air, completely oblivious to the gruesome scene unfolding about it. The Shinma screamed a blood-curdling cry and stepped from the flames, clutching one arm to the other as if it were fearful of the limb falling off. It stood, with much difficulty, before the guardian, panting heavily while casting Miyu a glare that cold freeze any human's blood cold.  
  
However, the guardian watched the scene with a somewhat bored air about her. Her companion glanced at her curiously, the thought crossing his mind that if this had been a typical sealing, she would have probably dozed off by this point. Even then, her eyes were lit not by the gold light that was her vampire heritage, but with the dying flames that had failed to banish the heaving demon before her. Miyu stared blankly ahead and it seemed that she had found her own fantasy world, but most definitely at the most inappropriate time imaginable.  
  
"Miyu?"  
  
Meanwhile, the battered demon observed carefully the unsure glances that the traitor would regard the watcher with. A sly half-grin, half-grimace spread across its deformed face as it held up it functional arm that was still dripping with blood. Pressing the forefinger to his lips, the demon began to whisper an undistinguishable chant.  
  
Out of the corner of his eyes, Larva saw the demon's actions. An aura of shining crimson engulfed it, casting a glow of light onto Miyu's face as abstract patterns danced across her skin and clothing. But she didn't seem to notice as she continued to stare out into nothingness like she was once again trapped in one of Night Gia's dreams.  
  
"Miyu!" Larva called to her, resting his hand firmly on her shoulder. She did not respond.  
  
"Miyu!" he tried again with a louder voice, gripping her shoulder tighter. Again, she did not even blink.  
  
Larva spun back around to face the Shinma, which was close to sealing the curse or attack or whatever else it might have in mind. Narrowing his eyes, Larva found only one solution to the problem. Lunging forward, her extended his tensed right hand across his body and with one clean motion had sliced the enemy's body through once. It coughed up blood in surprise, flecks of landing on the white surface of Larva's mask. Narrowing its one remaining one hideous eye, the Shinma stared hatefully at the guardian's servant. So intense was the gaze that Larva felt frozen to the spot, struggling to move or even to breathe.  
  
'It hurts, doesn't it, traitor? My gaze pierces your soul, and I can see your shame. You are desperate, are you not? Why do you still serve the one who destroys your kind?'  
  
The rasping voice echoed in his mind, the sound invading his very soul as it pried deeper.  
  
'You are not happy here, am I correct? Of course I am. I can see into your very heart, you poor pathetic slave. Hm, I see your friends that you've turned against.you father that you killed!'  
  
'Stop it!'  
  
'I will not stop! This is revenge for those you have betrayed! You destroy even the ones dear to you for the sake of that vampire girl. You are a disgrace, even for a western Shinma!'  
  
'Enough!' his tortured mind called, finally overpowering the trance that he had been lured into. His arm snapped up from where it had been limply dangling from his side and slashed the demon several times with no sequence to the slices. Blood splattered every which way, several warm droplets landing upon Larva's face and cloak. Finally, he stopped and allowed the body to sink to the ground where it lay lifeless and deformed.  
  
Larva breathed heavily while watching the life pour from the corpse before him. His shifting eyes wandered up from the talons of the demon, to it's slashed legs, to the back, and finally, following the path of the limp arm, finally taking notice of the absence of his mask when he saw it slip from the Shinma's claws. He watched as if trapped in slow motion, sliding down into the puddle of blood. It remained where it was, soaking, for several minutes as thin streams of life trickled away from its former master.  
  
It was then that the guardian's servant became aware of how quickly his heart was beating, how loud his pulse was pounding in his head as he stared at the corpse. All he could hear was the pounding, but even that was soon overridden as his ears became more sensitive than they ever had been before. Precarious as it was however, he could only hear the river of crimson- flowing, gushing, dripping- calling to him. He wet his lips and swallowed absently, drawing nearer to the demon as his heartbeat pounded in his mind.  
  
"Larva, what are you doing?" Miyu asked innocently right before Larva dropped to his knees, jolting him from his trance. He looked up at her quickly, his eyes flashing red for a brief second before he blinked. They then returned to their customary chilling blue.  
  
"Getting my mask," he lied, stopping to grasp the article from the coiled hand. He lifted up one of his only possessions, watching with morbid fascination as yet another stream of blood dripped from its smooth frame. The liquid struck the ground, sending tiny scarlet specks into the air around. Larva looked up at Miyu when it had sunk into the dead Earth.  
  
"You're face is dirty," she informed him nonchalantly and he nodded in comprehension, bringing a caked hand to try and wipe the cause of her distress away.  
  
Instead, he only succeeded in smearing the streaks further.  
  
"I'll go wash," he resolved and she nodded slowly. Drawing his mask closer to him, Larva began to vanish from Miyu's realm. She watched him go with large brown eyes, her mouth forming a small "o".  
  
Shaking her head, Miyu looked on to the carnage of the Shinma and narrowed her eyes, crying out, "You deserve your cruel fate, Shinma! Your kind snatched my best friend away from me and used her as your pawn! I shall never show any mercy for you, nor any other person who ever opposes or betrays me! I shall burn you remains to dust so your unsightly body shall never haunt my dreams; I will char your remains so that you are reduced to something lower than dust!"  
  
With this, she raised her arm and sending a wave of fire circling the body, burning and charring it, reducing it to something lower than dust. Miyu had resolved on the day of Chisato's death that she would never show mercy to Shinmas, and she would never grow close to anyone again. In the end, it was only her who got hurt.  
  
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He stared fervently at the thick liquid that had covered him and clung to his mask. If he could just take some of that blood for himself, would he not be healed.? It looked so inviting, and he could not sense Miyu's presence. The pounding heartbeat returned and is was if his entire existence was burning, crying out for.  
  
Without even realizing what he was doing, Larva had raised the mask to his lips and began to lap the spilt life off desperately. All he was aware of was the warmth running down his throat, coursing through his body, easing his restless mind. Finally, the mask had been completely cleaned off and there was no evidence that that very item had been resting in a pool of blood just minutes ago.  
  
It suddenly clattered noisily to the hard ground, but the sound fell on deft ears.  
  
Larva struggled to prevent himself from vomiting up his first meal in centuries, his hand clasped tightly over his mouth as his throat burned and stomach convulsed. An unimaginable pain swept through his body and his legs gave out almost on cue. However, it took Larva off-guard when the intense pain was suddenly relieved and he felt a strange warmth encircle his tightly bound left forearm. He struggled to resist falling ill once again as he became aware of bone, muscle, and nerves starting their regrowth and creating the most horrible stretching and grinding noises. He squeezed his eyes shut, sweat mixing with blood, making his powder-blue hair stick to his brow, as the mix dripped down his face. A groan escaped the back of his throat, but was muffled by his tightly clenched teeth.  
  
And then it suddenly stopped. Larva cautiously cracked open a ruby eye, then the other when he felt that it was safe. He held up his arm for inspection, but the only thing that had changed was that the wound had closed- at least temporarily. 'At least the bandages are no 'longer necessary, he reminded himself with a false sense of satisfaction that was soon diminishing.  
  
'I've just condemned myself to hell. This wound won't heal without more energy to feed off of... I need. blood. Is this what I must do just to survive?'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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There, four pages is a little better, right? Man, that came out a lot more gruesome and descriptive that I have intended it to be. I'm sorry if it made anyone feel sick, because I don't feel too great myself right now as I finish up this chapter at 11:58 P.M. ^^& I've been complimented on my use of details and descriptions before, but even I think I may have overdone it this time. Anyway, Please, please review! Tell me you liked it! Tell me you hated it! Tell me that you can't find a plot or that my writing style sucks! Please! I really need feedback for this story, because even now, I'm trying to finish up the details of the plot. Let me know what you think; I'll be happy to consider any ideas for the future! Thanks! -Kaen ^^  
  
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	3. Repent

Kerai  
  
Chapter 2: Repent  
  
By Kaen  
  
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Although I did spend some time pondering what to say here, I feel that I'd rather thank those who did appreciate the beginnings of my humble story rather than dwell on the one soul who, unfortunately, did not. I would especially like to thank Renn Ireigh for her generous and insightful comments. I really do appreciate constructive criticism and because of Renn's commentary, I've really tried to incorporate much more detail into my story than I had before. I've also changed the title to something that I feel is more suiting and easier to say because even I was having trouble remembering the exact name I hade given it! Anyway, please enjoy the new chapter!  
  
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'Loneliness is such a cold feeling,' she pondered to herself. 'It's strange. Even after such a relatively short friendship, I can still miss someone's presence so much. But. there is no point dwelling on a sad past. Even for someone like me, I can only give eternal time, but never reverse it and never change what has been done. It's rather ironic isn't it, Larva?'  
  
"Yes," he answered briskly, hearing her musings. Ever since their last encounter, he had been reluctant to share any thoughts with Miyu, a girl who he once, not too long ago, had been the closest, most important person in the world to him.  
  
"You're acting strange, Larva!" she told him nonchalantly. "You're usually a little more insightful than that!"  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
There. There it was again. Since when had he been forced to be so brief with Miyu? Were they not all that each other had now?  
  
'Yes, she's all that I have now. It wasn't her fault, either. Why did they have to come for me? Why could they not just assume me lost forever and let the subject rest? Why did they care so much? Did I not betray them?' Sighing, he added, 'Why does it matter? Miyu needs me more than I needed them- that much is definitely true. Besides, there is nothing to be done. Carlua and Lemures have long since returned to the west, finally realizing that I was lost to them.'  
  
"You're quiet," her voice broke the chain of his thoughts. She had twisted around in his lap to stare at him with wide, gold-tinted eyes that seemed to lock with his, even through his mask.  
  
"I don't know what to say," he lied, grateful for the mask that hid his diverted eyes.  
  
"Larva?" she continued one, never missing an opportunity to converse with her only friend.  
  
At least, that was the way she saw it. She could tell when his gaze strayed. When she first saw the blood streaming from that high branch, she had been secretly concerned about her loyal companion. This much was evident in the way that she had been closer to him than usual, in the way that she always seemed to be around.  
  
"What is it, Miyu?" he asked, his tone wavering slightly. He drew a deep breath and released is slowly, which Miyu heard and pressed herself even closer to him.  
  
After a slight pause, Miyu asked earnestly, "Do you think she meant to do it?" It seemed that she never grew tired of repeating the question that she must have asked to herself at least a thousand times already. Maybe she already knew the answer, maybe she didn't. Perhaps she just needed to hear it from someone else to confirm it?  
  
"Chisato was a good friend to you. I. don't believe that she would have ever betrayed you had it not been for the interference of Shidon and her Shinma blood."  
  
'I told you that you would be the one who ended up hurt, Miyu. I wish you'd have listened, to save the both of us so much turmoil.' These were the quiet thoughts that echoed in his mind, thoughts that he had trouble rising above.  
  
Miyu shifted her weight, wrapping one arm around Larva's strong neck and the other around his cloaked body. She curled her legs close to her and Larva, as if on cue wrapped a supportive arm around her comparatively small body. She sighed, feeling the warmed black fabric cover and comfort her at the same time. She looked on through nostalgia-mirrored, half-closed eyes. Maybe. there really wasn't anything wrong. He'd always be there for her, wouldn't he?  
  
"Miyu?" a low voice resounded from above her, snapping her out trance-like state. "Do you not feel good? You're so cold, and look rather pale."  
  
"You don't miss much, do you, Larva?" she giggled, her lips forming a surprisingly convincing little smile. Sighing, she continued, "I haven't had anything to drink for a long time, since Chisato's. sleep was initiated."  
  
'It's amazing how Miyu has always managed to avoid the word "death." Her victims, if they could even be called that for how eager they usually are, are never put to death, but instead, are laid down gently for a long and peaceful nap. They never awaken, and they never want to. Is it just to envy them.?' His muses were not voiced, and he settled for simply nodding slightly in acknowledgement.  
  
"Say, Larva, I am really thirsty. Could I. just a little?" Miyu requested earnestly, already shifting again to reach the appropriate level.  
  
Larva compliantly removed his mask and pulled back his hood with his only hand. Brushing the few wisps of stray hair off his neck, he confirmed, "Go ahead."  
  
He almost smiled at the familiarity of the situation. It was reassuring, in a strange sort of way, to feel Miyu's blood and his be exchanged. But, as he had already noted, it was definitely strange. Sighing and ignoring the stinging on his neck that had focused into what felt like two little pinpricks, he instead focused on the warmth returning to Miyu's fingers that had woven themselves into the strands that rested at the base of his neck.  
  
However, just as an old oil lantern can be lit, it can, with just as much ease, be extinguished and Larva felt the sensation of comfort turn to a feeling of harsh needles jabbing him and washing over his entire body. He ground his teeth together and furrowed his brow, resisting the sudden urge to cry out in pain lest it catch Miyu's attention. Just as it had not too terribly long ago, he felt the pain intensify and focus on his injury, burning it and impaling it with ice at the same time. He felt the flesh stir, expanding its area to compensate for the grinding bone that was recreating itself. Muscles and tendons slipped over that new bone, making Larva feel nauseous at the impression. Even the tiniest of veins seem to pride themselves in their agonizing return, splintering out in every which way and threading themselves like string on a needle throughout his reforming flesh.  
  
This continued on, for how long he could not tell, until beads of perspiration ran down his smooth face and the pain became utterly unbearable. What could not have been longer than a few seconds seemed like an eternity of hell, which was indeed that more intensified as he cried out and Miyu abruptly stopped her activities, pulling away. But, in that pathetic whimper, he had felt a burst of something indescribable, particularly for how quickly it had happened, much like a dam shunning its duty. The incredible tension that had been built up was released and that excruciating throbbing was reduced to a peculiar twinge that reminded Larva much of when he had been suspended by Ranka's marionette strings of light. And as if his senses could have been more ambiguous to his shuddering body, he was plagued by the cracking sound that made the fine hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.  
  
Perhaps it could best be described a pianist stepping inside after a brisk walk in the winter and sitting down before their instrument, popping their fingers loudly to relax them and give them better mobility. However, this noise was something that was far from relaxing and so loud was it that it seemed to echo across the void that was Miyu's realm. Larva stared unsurely at the quivering appendage, still completely obscured by his dark cloak. Oblivious to Miyu's apprehensive questions, he extended his arm and gasped softly, becoming aware of the soft material brushing over his. hand.  
  
Ungloved, short-nailed, and strongly resembling the hand of a normal human as it was, no sight in the world could have been more encouraging to the blue-haired servant. He watched in an almost macabre fashion, a small smile gracing his lips when he attempted to flex his fingers and they reluctantly complied. Blinking in surprise, he noticed slender digits lace with his own. He found some difficulty tightening his grasp around them, but a minor detail such as that had no affect in hampering his blissful state.  
  
"Larva? What happened?" Miyu inquired in a weak voice, soft even for her commonly displayed disposition. Wide and golden eyes regarded him expectantly, as if she thought that a simple explanation would suffice.  
  
He gazed at her countenance, finding each detail etching itself into his mind as if it were the first time that he had met this vampire girl. He memorized those sincere eyes and delicate eyebrows, that small nose, and those full pink lips all over again, as if suddenly seeing everything in a new light. He cast a curious gaze around the realm, his blue eyes reflecting the bleak, crimson-tainted area around him. He found it to be no different than he was expecting, yet everything seemed remarkably new. Letting his eyes drift, they finally fell on Miyu's unsure visage, which he now finally noticed the stream of his blood that had escaped her lips and had now flowed slowly down her chin. His lifted his still shaking hand and with none too little effort, succeeded in wiping away the thin trickle with his ungloved thumb. The blood smeared over its surface and he tried to bring it to his lips to remove the small smudge, but was prevented from doing so.  
  
"What happened?" Miyu reiterated, catching that hand in her own and squeezing it so that Larva could feel that this was not a request. However, he remained defiantly silent and somewhat dumbfounded.  
  
Instead of responding verbally, Larva found himself straightening his fingers and spreading apart in her hold. They both watched this action, although Miyu was more perplexed than anything else.  
  
"Your glove is gone," she commented and it struck Larva that she probably didn't understand his unique explanation. "And your hand. looks so human! How deceitful!"  
  
This did snag his attention and his need for a clarification asserted itself. "How so?"  
  
"It just seems unfair that a Shinma like yourself can looks so human, like they way I used to be. You certainly weren't born with these hands, now were you?"  
  
He observed her hands slip over his own, turning over the hand to trace the lines of the palm with the index finger of her opposite hand. Was this his true form? He didn't remember what was natural to him anymore. When he was protecting Miyu- like he had been for nearly a century now- he was required to always be on his guard.  
  
"Perhaps," he answered at last, his voice barely raised above a whisper. He was aware of Miyu's skeptical glances, but disregarded. One couldn't support or deny what they didn't know for themselves, right?  
  
Larva searched his mind, uprooting distant and seemingly insignificant memories of events long ago. He remembered Lemures' and his silly childhood escapades, helping Pazusu take care of the baby Carlua, swordfights with Spartoi; all these things came rushing back in vivid colors. He remembered how angry Pazusu had been when Larva and Lemures had escaped from the castle and sparked havoc in the nearby market, doing more than enough damage to earn them a horrible reputation in the town that lasted until they were nearly completely grown! Worst of all, the other Shinma had blamed Pazusu for their misbehavior!  
  
'First do impressions last forever, though,' he pondered thoughtfully, forgetting his current situation as he lost himself to the memories. Everything seemed so distant now, though. It was distant, yet they were the precise memories that would probably be with him until the fateful day of his death.  
  
'Death seems so unreal. Knowing that I will be with Miyu until her task is completed- for eternity, possibly- makes life itself seem so immaterial.'  
  
Meanwhile, Miyu waited patiently for her companion to awaken from his reverie-like state in silence. In his eyes were reflected the sad afterimages of some event that would never be known to Miyu. She found herself jealous at the thought that there was something that she did not know about her servant, especially when he had known her since before she could remember! She choked bitterly on the rush of emotions that had surfaced so suddenly, her mind filling with thoughts of all the loved ones that she had lost. And not only that, but also a sort of envy that is borne out of not being able to have what to anything else would seem so natural. To a human, death is as natural as birth; to a bird, well, it would probably expect to soar away from this world eventually, wouldn't it? So why Miyu be like that bird, escaping the bounds of this world for a place of eternal slumber. 'Chisato.'  
  
"Larva?" she whispered, hot and salty tears already streaming down her child-like face. He looked down quickly, then blinking once to further clear his mind.  
  
"Miyu, what is it?" He embraced her tightly and ran his slender fingers through her hair in an effort to comfort her.  
  
"Larva?" she whispered between sobs. "Will I ever be able to go to the place where my bird went? Someday?"  
  
"I. will always be with you," he answered after a disheartening pause. Her small hands clenched the fabric of his cloak, undoubtedly creasing its smooth surface with the firmness of her grip. He felt her body shake in his arms and he reminded himself that Miyu was still human in her heart. This is the only true flaw of the guardian, but it was something that Larva sincerely hoped that she would never lose.  
  
"That's. not an. answer," she whispered between sobs. "I. asked you once before. and you said the same thing. It never changes, just as. I never change. and neither does my fate.."  
  
"Shhh." he sounded gently, pausing his hand in her hair to tighten his hold on her grief-racked body. She accepted his closeness and after several more minutes of crying had at length fell silent.  
  
"I'm sorry," she spoke softly, as if a noise any louder would shatter the realm. He remained silent, for he knew that Miyu didn't want him to say anything. After a little while longer, she had fallen asleep in his hold and Larva was grateful that her deceitfully young-looking body had granted her mind a temporary leave from her eternal suffering. Loosening the circle of his arms, Miyu's limp body lolled back against them accordingly.  
  
'Miyu. even I don't understand you some of the time. You can seem so strong and set on your ways, but be so different in just moments. Is this your human heart calling out in agony? You know as well as I that you still have the soul of a human, don't try to lie to yourself. It's unfair, isn't it? I wish you'd never been chosen, I wish I could have put your blood to rest when I had the opportunity so long ago. to save us both so much suffering. Miyu, death is generous. He once visits everyone to end their time in this world, but he seems to have overlooked us per the Osa's request. How cruel it seems that a mere child could be expected to uphold such a destiny! How merciful it would have been for me to have murdered you in your youngest years!'  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
This chapter was an unusual break form the assumed plotline of this story, wasn't it? Due to a particular review, I felt that, in the end, they were right in the sense that Miyu and Larva's relationship did need more depth to it. Also, if anyone noticed this, I did try to use references from both manga series'. I own two volumes of the original manga, "Vampire Princess Miyu" and all five of the "New Vampire Miyu." They prove to be very helpful to one's writing, so please expect some other characters to be mentioned throughout the story. That's really all that I have to say for now, so please, please review! I appreciate it more than you know! 


	4. To Dream

Kerai

Chapter 3: To Dream

By Kaen

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Golden, crisp leaves sailed carelessly on the cold wind that day. The fluttered about, twirling every so often as if flaunting their magnificent coloring. They were soon joined by leaves of orange, crimson, and tan in their dance across the clear blue sky. Sudden gusts would sweep them higher into the air every so often, filling the air with the music of autumn. A merry song it would have been if not for the cutting currents that penetrated even the thickest of wool!

However, as if it were they were taking a break from its flamboyant routine, a single leaf of a peculiarly deep red drifted down and landed near a dirty pair of feet. Dust and mud caked the small appendages, trails of it even running as high as the bony knees. If one would raise their eyes further, they would see a tattered and thin skirt that barely clung to the child's body slight body, being of a color that was once presumed to be pink but was now gray. It was violently tugged at by the wind, outlining a malnourished side further. Bones of the hip and ribs could now be easily seen through the worn fabric, the entire image all but radiating a pitiful message. But the child herself remained silent, small hands clutched defiantly at her sides, as if speaking a word would condemn her to an unknown hell. Her chilling blue eyes were glassy and shimmering with tears that threatened to spill over the weak gates and her hair was wild and unbound, whipping across her young, but sullen face. 

The girl stood still and silent for quite some time before anyone noted her presence, nearly completely hidden by the shadows of the balding tree. She simply watched and waited, but for what, not even she knew. Another strong gust rushed across the browning landscape, causing the leaves that had landed to rush into its dance again and crows to leap up from the branches above high her and take to flight, cawing as if in protest of the rotten day. The black birds were not the only one shaken by this, for the girl beneath them grasped the fraying scrap of fabric that held up the torn shirt with a weak hand, exerting what little strength that she had left. She gritted her teeth together as if by doing so would ward off the sting of the wind, her tears finally succeeding in seeping out and searing her cheeks with a mild warmth that felt like more like a burn. The sensation caused more tears to leak out, temporarily warming the dirty face before their heat faded away and was replaced by the customary chill. 

A sad picture this presented indeed and finally a passerby on the nearby path noticed the child who stood on shaking knees, grasping her shoulder with a pale hand as she wept noiselessly. The tattered merchant stared in disbelief, lowering the reins of his oxen as he crept cautiously out of the wagon.

"Little girl?" he called softly, taking a slow step towards her. His words did not seem to reach the child and he was quite distressed by this for it appeared that the child was looking directly at him.

"Little girl!" he called again, louder this time since he was frustrated by the first failure. 

Much to the merchants relief, the girl's eyes snapped into focus and locked with his wide hazel ones. He then noticed the child's unusual eyes, to use an understatement. Wide icy blue orbs penetrated his own, and he felt as though she were peering into his very soul, like he had been laid open like a book upon a table. A chill that was not induced by the weather shook him and he found himself trembling violently. Somehow, just the mere presence of the girl seemed to invoke an inexplicable primal fear.  

Suddenly, tangled strands shoulder length whitish-blue hair blew across the girl's face, obscuring her disturbing eyes as they rolled backwards. The starving body dropped to the ground with an thud that was unheard because of the wind's increasingly strident howls. The merchant cringed as he observed the child's collapse, her body bending in nearly detrimental ways to compensate to the unearthed roots of the rough ground. 

Justifiably alarmed at this, the newly revitalized man rushed forward and scooped the girl into his arms, carefully supporting the slender neck. He held her at a distance, searching for any signs that life was still within its inadequate casings. But only the girls knotted hair showed any signs of movement, it being carried by the rising winds. He face remained pale and placid with no color to the cheeks nor any other motion that suggested that respiration was taking place. Finally, he held the child's body close to his, resting his ear above her heart, a listened intensely. With an unnerving silence followed the action, the middle-aged man could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Could it be possible that just like that the kid had died? No, wait… One beat, two beats… three. 

'Yes, the girl is still alive, for how much longer?' he asked himself. Resolving to not wait and find out, he scooped up the limp body and held it delicately in his strong arms, much like how one would hold a sculpture made of glass. Carefully placed footsteps advanced towards the small wagon and upon reaching it ceased. The child was lowered carefully inside, finding refuge under two thick blankets when the man pulled them over her.

After watching for several minutes, the merchant noticed the wan cheeks gradually had their color returned to them, but did not stop at a healthy pink. They instead flared to a burning red and the sounds of labored breathing, occasionally interrupted with a small whimper or cough, were faintly heard. 

Looking on the girl with pity, the merchant commented softly, "You are a terribly unfortunate child, aren't you? Your only luck is that the capitol is nearby. I'm sure that they'll take good care of a pretty girl like you there!" 

Laughing softly at his own cruel joke, the merchant clambered aboard the cart with some difficulty and flicked the reigns against the ox's wide back. There was a faint trail of dust that arose from the wooden tires, but it was just as soon carried away by the rising storm. 

'…Larva…'

He awoke with a start, finding himself gazing directly into Miyu's quizzical eyes. She had rested both her hands on his cloaked shoulders and her face lingered dangerously close to his own, her weight resting in his lap. He swallowed nervously, trying to calm his racing heart from the startling sight that he had been greeted with when he first cracked open his eyes. His eyes widened as Miyu leaned in even closer to him and shifted her hands to rest on either side of his startled face, causing his heart to race even faster. She touched her forehead to his and her lips were so close that he could feel their short exhales of warm air on his face. Her had eyelids lowered over her golden shining orbs and the rest of her face seemed to relax, save the slight flush across cheeks.

"M-Miyu?" he stuttered, leaning back to put more distance between them. 

She sighed raggedly, folding her legs underneath her as she lowered herself back into her servant's lap. She reached out and tugged on a piece of the cloak adorning his strong arms and, having gone through this game more times to count, he knowingly wrapped his arms around her. This blanketed her in a protective comfort and she sighed again, nestling against his sturdy body. He waited patiently for her to begin her explanation, but when it finally did come, he wasn't sure what to do next.

"What sort of dream were you having, Larva? I was cold all of a sudden and woke up."

He blinked in surprise, at first taken aback and then pondering her question carefully. A thoughtful silence that was so typical fo him followed afterwards, his face forming that of one deep in thought. 

His eyebrow's knitting together, he replied after some deliberation, "Shinma do not dream, Miyu. Perhaps it was your own dream that had awoken you?"

She shook her head in defiance, they both knew that he was lying. She made this knowledge clear by grasping his upper arm and squeezing it tightly. It spoke a painfully clear message: "I don't believe you. Tell me the truth this time."

Sighing in defeat, he reluctantly admitted, "I was having a strange dream about a young girl. I don't know who she was, but…"

"What is it?" Miyu pried, the jealously that she had felt before creeping into her.

It just wasn't fair that Larva knew more about her than she did, yet she knew hardly anything of Larva! Added his own reluctance to talk about himself, Miyu wondered if he were perhaps ashamed or hiding something? She already had pieced together much of his life as an Occidental Shinma, but even then it had been something that she had unfortunately discovered on her own. But still she questioned, was there something more that she didn't understand that Larva had been carefully concealing for all this time?

"The girl looked like me, to an extent… The same hair color, the same strange eyes..."

"Someone who looked like you? Coincidence, you think?" she suggested, interrupting Larva's quiet recollection. 

He looked at her thoughtfully, considering her idea, when he noticed that they were no longer in the realm where he had drifted to sleep, but was instead resting atop the Miyu's torii overlooking the cemetery. Startling blue eyes lined with thick black eyelashes scanned the area briefly before falling on the bright city lights not too distant from where they were sitting. 

Above, the stars brightly speckled the dark heavens, though barely visible through the thick blanket of clouds that were partially obscuring the midnight sky. Carrying these obtrusive clouds, however, was the invisible wind that had predominance over all elements of nature. Smiting fires, pushing the waves, and uprooting the earth if it so desired, the entire situation struck Larva to be very much like the predicaments he constantly witnessed plaguing the human spirit. Perhaps there were bright moments that shone through the clouds of misery on even in the darkest days, but he too often saw the tragic fates of the unfortunate soul whose gloom is not chased away by the sunrise of the new day. When the wind of the soul is not present to push those blackened clouds out of mind, the other elements overtake this realm and turn it into a void wasteland that knows neither happiness nor sadness. They world is gray, a twilight of nothingness. A world where time has no meaning and death is always welcome. Indeed, he found himself in this gray place, knowing nothing more than the duty of serving his mistress. 

"This girl interests me," Miyu stated, smiling one of her small docile smiles that always had so much thought behind them. "Perhaps we could find her?"

Larva continued gazing up at the gray clouds that, he now noticed, were bloated with the promise rain. The first drop fell, striking his fair-skinned face and splattering into several smaller droplets before running off his smooth face. A few more cooled drops landed about him, turning the places where they struck the bright torii to the color of blood and the stone path far below him to a deep gray, nearly black. 

Still vigilantly monitoring the drops that fell, Larva retorted with an uncharacteristic bitterness, "There is no need for that, Miyu."

"Why not?" she asked quickly, spinning around to look at Larva's face, which showed the faintest hints of a scowl in the way the skin creased. Although the scowl was not directed at Miyu, she couldn't help but feel the resentful emotions that her companion was transmitting involuntarily by their blood-founded connection.

Without hesitation, he replied knowingly, "That girl has been dead for a very long time. What has passed has passed, has it not? There is no use."

To himself, he silently questioned, 'How did I know that…? I didn't know who that girl was, let alone her living status!'

Miyu frowned in disappointment, a disappointment that was borne both from Larva's snappy elucidation and well as frustration of unsatisfied curiosity. The way that his seemingly firm resolve had trailed off in the last sentence had sparked that jealously that Miyu could usually keep dormant. Determined to not pry further, however, Miyu simply turned away and stood, announcing that they should return to her realm since the rain was becoming too heavy for her liking. 

'Rain… Water- salty water that makes up the vast ocean. At night, you could lose yourself in, both physically and mentally. But, to throw one's soul to the waves… It seems as though would be far too easy. That's why… I don't like the rain.' 

Such were Miyu's eccentric thoughts as she felt her body vanishing for the human realm. Larva watched her go, remaining where he had been, being so comfortable in the rain. Why he felt such a connection with the rain was lost to him, but he was certain that it must have had some significance to him at some point. He closed his eyes, his face completely relaxed as the drops or water hit him, causing his eyelashes to clump together, while the rain dripped down his face, following the curve of his jaw line to his chin where it then streamed onto his dampening cloak. Slick black fabric began to cling to his slender body, making his shiver slightly when the water began making contact with his concealed skin. In the rain, Larva's face was an even more pale than usual. Strands of wispy light blue hair were turned to a much darker color as they welcomed the moisture and began clinging to Larva's head and brow. 

But he didn't seem to care that he was soon drenched and shivering; in fact, in a curious sense, it felt good- sort of like his soul was being fulfilled even while his body was becoming cold and damp. His lips formed a melancholy smile. It was a smile that represented his constant inner battle between what he wanted to do and what it was required that he do. Larva would willingly stay in the same position until the downpour ceased, if Miyu hadn't requested that he return with her. 

Standing up and casting one last longing glance to the dark sky above, currently streaked with the trails of pouring rain, he returned to his previous thoughts: 'Rain is the embodiment of the tears that fall from heaven. They are the tears borne of human sorrow, the temporary release from a constant suffering that is carried away by the wind, which only flares up at inappropriate times to chase this escape away. Living is pain. The only release from this pain is to abandon everything dear to you. And as for those who are not living, but are not dead, well, even after abandoning everything and desiring nothing, there is no escape.'

With this, he allowed his body to fade away into Miyu's dismal realm, although his thoughts lingered far elsewhere. Preoccupied with such matters, it would seem strange that Larva could have concentrated on or noticed anything else. But, as he was crossing the border between the dimensions, he could have sworn he heard something or someone… calling to him. It was not voice from somewhere near him, but rather, a voice that echoed within his mind that sounded somehow, yet irrationally, familiar. 

'Larva… Larva… Larva…!'

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I hope you enjoyed the new chapter! I really worked hard on this one to get it to come out remotely right. It's difficult to gradually tie in the plot for me- that's why I'm proud of this chapter. I've also decided to keep things as html files, rather than word document files because they kill my ellipses (Arigatou, Renn-san, for pointing this out!). I had a lot of them in the last chapter, particularly near the end where Miyu was crying, but ffn completely butchered it. T.T Oh well, I hope this chapter does better! Please review and let me know your comments on the fic so far or any suggestions you have to help me improve my writing. Thanks!

-Kaen ^^


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